


Wicked Things

by Kaydu



Category: Free!
Genre: I Love Love, I love angst, M/M, Maybe a happy ending sequel in the works, No sexy time in this so sad, Oneshot that could continue with interest, So OOC, Sorry Not Sorry, i just couldnt help myself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 07:35:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20671655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaydu/pseuds/Kaydu
Summary: Rin had thought it was like diving deep into the sea, deeper than any person could ever hope to go, and staring up towards the surface. Like the wave of a tsunami rising up before him, dark at the depths and bleeding into a brighter blue just before cresting and foaming. And like the storm surges that destroy everything within it's path and swallows it into the ocean, those eyes took a part of Rin's very soul as he peered into them, ripping it away without any warning and filling the empty space with -something else- that Rin couldn't even begin to name at the time.





	Wicked Things

**Author's Note:**

> I knooooow, I know. I need to update Core of the Matter but this little sucker kept getting in my way. I am hoping now that it's out here, I can resume delicious Asta/Yuno angst and love. -Drools-
> 
> Anyways. 
> 
> As always, the pugs made me do it (and the little shits are conspiring with Haru and Rin, apparently).

In middle school, everyone used to call Haruka Nanase weird. 

He was small and on the scrawny side, even for a Japanese boy of his age. His legs and arms were too long, his torso super skinny, and he always seemed to be tripping over his own feet even when classmates weren't making him stumble on purpose, like he didn't know how to operate his feet. They did that a lot, and on purpose. Nanase didn't help, keeping his dead down and staring at the floor, mumbling quiet answers when called upon in a voice that was "girly" and always getting the top marks in every class.

"Dweeb," the other kids would whisper loudly when test scores were announced and Nanase was nearly perfect again. "Freak," the other kids would whisper taunt as Nanase shuffled through the halls. "Wierdo," they would yell at him as they pushed him onto the ground during recess. Rin can admit he was just as bad if only because he stood to the side and silently watched all of it happen and never tried to step in because what kid wanted to be lumped in with the outcast and get bullied too? Yeah, it pissed Rin off, but it pissed him off even more that Nanase never stood up for himself. He took it all quietly, never crying or complaining or even -telling- anyone about it to make it stop. 

When they got into highschool it was both better and worse for Nanase. Better because there were hormones distracting teenagers and better because there were other outcasts that caught the attention of the bullies. Better because Nanase was practiced enough by then to know how to avoid it.... most of the time. 

The times he couldn't avoid it, though? Those were the "worse" factor, because where everyone else around Nanase was growing up and out, Nanase didn't seem to grow much at all. What that meant for Nanase was even if he did grow a spine and try and fight back, he would still be outnumbered and outmatched. Still, Rin said nothing. Did nothing. Was just anothr face in the crowd witnessing the bullying or another passerby that acted as if he didn't hear or see anything. 

There was one afternoon, however, that imprinted itself into Rin that he would never forget. It was probably exactly a year until they were due to graduate and head off to college and Rin was running terribly, annoyingly late to his part time job at the Ramen Shop two train stops away due to some revision his English teacher had insisted upon after his last test scores. Non-negotiable. 

He was sprinting across the courtyard aiming for ethe front gates when he nearly bowled over someone stumbling drink like out from the walkway that led to the schools' outdoor pool. He could hear spurts of loud laughter and jeers and hadn't even thought about it when he twisted to the side to try and avoid full on collision.... but he was moving too fast and the other person was too distracted. Rin darted his hand out on impulse as they started to fall, locking his fingers around a delicately slender wrist, and yanked the smaller body against his chest as he braced himself just before his back landed on the ground and his breath left him as the other person collapsed ontop of his chest. 

Rin hissed through his clenched teeth, cursing the concrete beneath him as well as the way that his torso was suddenly drenching wet because of the person ontop of him. Miffed (because who wouldn't be miffed when they were already late for work and needing a new change of clothes?) Rin had squinted open his eyes to peer up, his heart slamming to an abrupt halt in his chest and he couldn't breathe for an entirely different reason. 

Rin had thought it was like diving deep into the sea, deeper than any person could ever hope to go, and staring up towards the surface. Like the wave of a tsunami rising up before him, dark at the depths and bleeding into a brighter blue just before cresting and foaming. And like the storm surges that destroy everything within it's path and swallows it into the ocean, those eyes took a part of Rin's very soul as he peered into them, ripping it away without any warning and feeling the empty space with -something else- that Rin couldn't even begin to name at the time. 

Those big blue eyes, momentarily wide and beautiful and staring into his own shuttered and darkened as porcelain white skin colored a splotchy cherry blossom pink. It was only when their eyes broke contact that Rin noticed a few other very important details. 

1) There was blood weeping from a split on the other person's full lower lip and busted open brow. 

2) There was a dark purple bruise forming over the arch of one gloriously high and sharp cheekbone. 

3)The beautiful face hovering over his own was framed by soft looking raven black hair that tinted midnight blue in the fading daylight. 

4) The other person was a male whose eyes widened and sparked in a show of fear for a tenth of a second before he was scrambling off of Rin like a crab and hastily gaining his footing again to dart away as more raucous laughter draws closer. 

Rin pushed himself up onto his elbows, mildly bewildered as three boys he recognized as being on the swim team came walking out from the same walkway, heckling each other until the saw Rin on the ground. One of the boys, a second year Rin has never bothered to get to know, swaggered over and offered Rin a hand up whcih he took quietly. One of the other boys walked over and clapped a hand to the back of his shoulder all friendly like, eyeballing the wet front of Rin's shirt with a large helping of mirth tinged with disgust. 

"Aw, damn. Sorry man, did that faggot Nanase run into you on his rat-scurry out of here? Did he try and feel you up? Hell, if we knew he was such a cock slut we could just blindfolded ourselves and let him suck us off. A mouth is a mouth, hey??" His shoulder was slapped again as the three laughed as if sharing a particularly funny joke with him but his mind was a million miles away. 

Rin had forcefully ;aughed at the joke and responded with something he couldn't even remember before walking zombie like back home. His sister had taken one look at him and not asking any questions had called the Ramen Shop ("I am SO sorry, Mr. Tatiyama, but my brother is terribly ill. Yes, yes. I'll let him know you wish him well, Thank you so much,") and Rin had spent that night (a friday) and the next two days lying in his bed staring at the ceiling and only leaving his room to go to the bathroom.

By Monday he had somewhat straightened out his thoughts as he numbly tied his uniform tie around his neck. He had always -known- Nanase was in his classes but had never been 'aware' of his presence. That day, though, it was like he could feel that blue gaze locked onto his back ever second they were in the same room but when Rin would discreetly look, Nanase was bent over his desk as usual, seemingly uninterested in anything around him. It had made Rin's nerves stand on end. His only reprieve came weeks later when summer break finally rolled around and he went with his family to Australia because his father was being scouted as a new coach (being famous as he was in Basketball), and they were able to meet the team and tour the facilities. 

Rin had never cared for basketball, or any sport really, but as was inevitable for any teenaged boy in a foreign country, he met a gitl who taught him many things (both instide the bedroom and out), and he foud a new love for something he had never before considered; competitive swimming. 

His sister, being the diehard fitness queen she was, quickly latched onto the idea (and onto Rin's workout regiment which went from general strength and conditioning to hammering his muscles into swimming shape) and by the time they were leaving Australia to head back to Japan for Rin's final year in highschool (part of the deal Rin's father took was so they could return for this year and decide where to go afterwards) Rin was, shockingly, outswimming everyone of his age group. 

One of the first things he did upon returning home was to track down the coach and the manager of the swim team to set up a time trial to be able to join the team... which he dominated, much to the surprise of, well, everyone considering he had never expressed interest in swimming before. 

To be fair, it's not that Rin had forgotten about Nanase, but with his whirlwind summer romance and training Rin had thought of little else other than the pool and sex. So maybe he was a little more surprised than he should have been when he was walking home one day and stumbled upon the same three guys from his new swim team he had met what felt like ages ago ("...that faggot Nanase," laughter echoing through his mind), ganging up on someone on the ground, kicking and kicking as hard as they could. Rin had a momentary sense of confusion before one well placed kick caused the person on the ground to cry out in pain and Rin's wide eyed gaxe met a single pained blue eye he would have recognized anywhere. Rin was falling onto them as if he was the Devil himself, snarling and punching and choking his way through them until he was standing over Nanase's trembling form, expletives falling from his mouth like poison, promising an end to their swimming careers (which he made good on much later when he approached the coach about what he witnessed, causing their banm from school related sports). 

When he was sure that the three bullies were gone he turned with heaving shoulders that matched his heavy panting, offering a hand down to Nanase. There is an abnormally long pause before a soft hand slides into his own rougher one and it barely takes any effort for Rin to hoist him up. In facy, he pulled a little too hard, resulting in Nanase stumbling closer, free hand jerking up and palm pressing flat agaisnt Rin's flexing pectorals, wide eyed and parted lips merely inches from Rin's own. 

There was that nnoying moment again where Rin felt his heart stop and he could feel as Nanase's fingers twitched against his chest before the smaller male is pulling away and holding his free hand to his own chest. Only an insistant tugging made Rin glance down to and realize that he was holding onto Nanase's other hand so tightly that it was probably hurting the other boy and he snatched his hand back quickly and looked sheepishly off to the side as he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. The silence stretched between them until Rin couldn't stand it any longer and his own voice surprised him when it came out low and gruff. 

"You alright, Nanase?"

The silence stretched again oppressively and Rin looked back to Nanase in annoyance only to go completely still, like a rabbit before a predator, at the strangely intense look on Nanase's face. 

"You know my name," the soft words fell from softer looking lips and Rin was momentarily distracted by the them as he wondered if they tasted as sweet as they looked ("The fuck, Matsuoka?" he imagined his reflection asking him in the mirror) before he responded. 

"Well yeah, we have been in the same classes for.... as long as I can remember, so..." Rin rambled. He never rambles. 

He couldn't look away as nanase rocked back on his heels and flinched, making Rin take an aborted step closer. 

"Look, you should probably go get yourself checked out at the hosp-"

"Thank you, Rin Matsuoka," Nanase interrupted softly, eyes nearly glowing as he stared at Rin. For his own part, Rin didn't know what else to say as floored as he was by everything that made up the human named Nanase. 

The dark haired teen left shortly afterwards, quiet and gentle as always, and Rin was a jumble of emotions for the rest of the week. Watching the quiet teen tenderly limp from class to class lit an anger within Rin he had never felt before. Word must have gotten around about the three swimmers though because Rin didn't see or hear of Nanase being bullied by anyone for the rest of the week.

On friday, a storm raged outside and Rin found himself sneaking glances towards Nanase as the lightning struck and thunder rolled and he marvelled at how he could have missed how Nanase tilted his head towards the windows and closed his eyes, a small smile turning up the corners of his mouth. 

When Monday rolled around, Nanase was absent from class. In fact, he was absent and unaccounted for until Thursday when their grim faced homeroom teacher stood at the front of the classroom putting off waves of disappointment as he informed them all that "due to severe injuries sustained from a bullying incident on Nanase's journey home friday afternoon, his guardian (guardian? The fuck?) has decided to remove Nanase from the school and move to a different district altogether," and a heavy "I hope you are all happy with yourselves. Don't think we are naiive enough to think nobody knew that Nananse was getting bullied," and the final words that made Rin feel nauseous and as if he would pass out, "Nanase could have died. From now on I hope you all understand the consequences of turning a blind eye."

And Rin..... sick to his very soul and clutching the fabric of his shirt, had up and left and went home to his empty house (his parents and sister were at work of course) and had curled up into a ball on his bed. 

Everyone used to call Haruka Nanase weird. A freak. A faggot. A kiss ass. 

But Rin??

Rin wished he could have told Haruka Nanase that he was the most beautiful person Rin had ever seen.


End file.
